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Al paese dei libri book cover
Al paese dei libri
2016
First Published
4.14
Average Rating
233
Number of Pages
Ma che idea, lasciare la California per un brumoso paesino della campagna gallese! Se non fosse che il paesino è Hay-on-Wye, la «Mecca dei bibliofili», dove c’è una libreria antiquaria ogni quaranta abitanti, e dove si celebra ogni anno uno dei più noti Festival della Letteratura – e se non fosse che il pellegrino è Paul Collins, instancabile e ardimentoso cacciatore di libri perduti e strampalati. Ingaggiato nel 2000 da Richard Booth, il libraio che nel 1977 si proclamò Re del Principato Autonomo di Hay, Collins si è potuto dedicare per sei mesi alla sua attività frugare tra cataste di libri effimeri «che fin dall’inizio non erano destinati a durare», e tramandarci le loro storie. Ed ecco le ponderose raccolte di riviste obsolete («La rivista delle meraviglie. Composta interamente di materiale classificabile come MIRACOLOSO! BIZZARRO! STRANO! STRAVAGANTE! SOPRANNATURALE! ECCENTRICO! ASSURDO! OSCURO! e INDESCRIVIBILE!»), le memorie apocrife ("Sono stata la cameriera di Hitler") o anonime ("Confessioni della moglie di uno scrittore"), gli autori che scrivono dall’aldilà, e le prime edizioni «grigie e pesanti come tombini». Mentre cerca casa, fantasticando di stabilirsi definitivamente in un grande «pub sconsacrato» del Seicento, il Sixpence House, Collins riesce anche a far domanda per un seggio alla Camera dei Lord (quella «specie di governo fondato sulla copula. Una spermocrazia, se preferite»). Oltre che una incantevole tranche de vie, "Al paese dei libri" è una sorprendente meditazione sul valore dei libri nel tempo – e sulla volubile incuranza del passato, «l’unico Paese dove è ancora permesso dileggiare gli indigeni».
Avg Rating
4.14
Number of Ratings
7
5 STARS
43%
4 STARS
29%
3 STARS
29%
2 STARS
0%
1 STARS
0%
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Author

Paul Collins
Paul Collins
Author · 8 books

Paul Collins has written many books, mostly for younger readers. He is best known for his fantasy and science fiction titles: The Jelindel Chronicles (Dragonlinks, Dragonfang, Dragonsight and Wardragon), and The Quentaris Chronicles ─ co-edited with Michael Pryor ─ (Swords of Quentaris, Slaves of Quentaris, Dragonlords of Quentaris, Princess of Shadows, The Forgotten Prince, Vampires of Quentaris and The Spell of Undoing). His trade books published in America are The Earthborn, The Skyborn and The Hiveborn. Paul has edited many anthologies which include Trust Me!, Metaworlds and Australia’s first fantasy anthology, Dream Weavers. He also edited The MUP Encyclopaedia of Australian SF&F. Paul has been short-listed for many awards and has won the Inaugural Peter McNamara and the A Bertram Chandler awards, both of which were for lifetime achievement in science fiction, and the Aurealis and William Atheling awards. His recent fantasy series is The World of Grrym (Allira’s Gift, Lords of Quibbitt and Morgassa’s Folly), in collaboration with Danny Willis. His latest YA book is The Only Game in the Galaxy, Book #3 in The Maximus Black Files. His book, Slaves of Quentaris, features in 1001 Children’s Books You Must Read Before You Die (UK, 2009). Paul’s adult books are the anthology The Government in Exile and Cyberskin. His current adult horror novel, The Beckoning, Damnation Books (US) is available from http://tinyurl.com/ny6urwy. Other than his writing, Paul is the publisher at Ford Street Publishing, publishing everything from picture books through to young adult literature, and he manages Creative Net, a speakers’ agency. Paul’s websites are: www.paulcollins.com.au; www.fordstreetpublishing.com and www.fordstreetpublishing.com/cnet Awards 1980s — 2000s a handful of nominations for Best Editor and Best Short Fiction in the Australian SF Achievement Awards 1999— Winner William Atheling Award for work on The MUP Encyclopaedia of Australian Science Fiction and Fantasy; Shortlisted for the Aurealis Convenors’ Award. 2000— The Dog King, Notable Book Children’s Book Council; Shortlisted for the Clayton’s Award. 2001— Winner of the Aurealis Convenors’ Award (With Co-editor Meredith Costain) for Spinouts Bronze published by Pearson Education. Joint winner was Shaun Tan for The Lost Thing. 2002 — Winner of the inaugural Peter McNamara Award for lifetime achievement in SF. 2004 — Home Run (Illustrated by Connah Brecon), Notable Book, Children’s Book Council. 2009 — Morgassa's Folly (in collaboration with Danny Willis), short-listed for the Chronos Award. 2010 — The Slightly Skewed Life of Toby Chrysler, short-listed for The Speech Pathology Award. 2011 — The Glasshouse (illustrated by Jo Thompson) chosen by international IBBY as an Outstanding Book; short-listed for the CBC's Crichton Award. 2011 —Awarded the A Bertram Chandler Award for Lifetime Achievement in Australian Science Fiction.

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